The Houseworld Case Study Answers

Abstract
Liza Benton is a fresh MBA from Harvard Business School who has been employed at a large consumer goods company at an entry level position for three months. She has enjoyed great accomplishments at her internship projects and shows potential for significant career growth in the future. She is enthusiastic and social by nature, hungry for a challenging work environment that develops her skills with training and provides room for exhibition of her creative and intellectual capabilities. However, her greatest test at her new job thus far has been different from her imagination. Instead of complicated tasks that require application of her analytical faculties to their fullest extent, she has been bestowed with mundane assignments. The
Innovation was a key value that was transmitted and encouraged top-down. There was a growing emphasis on recruiting MBAs in marketing positions and appreciation for employees who were openly expressive of their hunger for growth. The values of the division were such that not only was growth inculcated as a strategy for the company as a whole, but also for the career paths of the employees, providing expediency in this regard over competing organizations. Job descriptions and employment programs were well structured, inclusive of rotations across product management teams to provide holistic and diversified experience of the stages of product life cycle so as to maximize learning of the employees on the job through hands on experience. Managers were responsible for grooming their subordinates, who were expected to show their potential effectively within their initial spell with the company. However, there had been lags in promotions in the recent past, an element harping on the motivation of employees in the division. There was amicability and cohesiveness in the culture, in spite of the high performance expectations. Informal social networks were well developed, with employees lunching together in the cafeteria and supervisors such as Vernon displaying great sensitivity to the morale of employees by observing changes and initiating discussions to attempt to resolve any expressed grievances. Employees displayed camaraderie when they felt that one of them had been wronged by the other and rallied together in